Apparatus for uniform web feed



Oct. 8, 1968 H. w. MARANO v APPARATUS FOR UNIFORM WEB FEED 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 12, 1966 INVENTOR kzscwrldlmmm/a BY eATTORNEY Oct. 8, 1968 H. w. MARANO APPARATUS FOR UNIFORM WEB FEED 5Sheets-Sheet :7;

Filed April 12, 1966 INVENTOR lye-Racer MA/zmwa ATTCRNEY 1968 H. w.MARANO 3,404,820

APPARATUS FOR UNIFORM WEB FEED Filed April 12, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR ATTORNEY way/WM Mam/a Oct. 8, 1968 MARANO 3,494,829

APPARATUS FOR UNIFORM WEB FEED FiledApril 12, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR A aeazzr M/flhii/va ATTORNEY Oct. 8, 1968 H. w. MARANOAPPARATUS FOR UNIFORM WEB FEED 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 12, 1966 0mm m m v m i w United States Patent() "ice 3,404,820 APPARATUS FORUNIFORM WEB FEED Herbert W. Marano, Summit, N.J., assignor toConsolidated Cigar Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Apr. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 541,988 7 Claims. (Cl. 226-40)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tension regulating band feed mechanismincludes a constant speed take-up and a feed roll, the band traversing aloop between the take-up and feed roll which is engaged by a sensingelement. The feed roll is rotated at less than take-up speed through aslow overrunning clutch and is rotated at greater than take-up speed byan electric clutch. The electric clutch is deactuated when the loopexceeds a predetermined first amplitude and is actuated when the loop isless than a predetermined value. Means are provided for adjusting thetension of the sensing member on the loop and the loop amplitude controlpoints.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in web feedingapparatus and it relates particularly to an improved apparatus forfeeding webs, bands and the like under a low uniform tension to aconstant take-up device.

There are many forms of apparatus which require for their proper andsatisfactory operation the continuous delivery or feed thereto of a webor band under a low uniform tension. Examples of such an apparatus arethe cigar producing machines in US. Patents No. 3,152,595 granted Oct.13, 1964 and No. 3,238,951 granted Mar. 8, 1966, both to Samuel J.Silberman. In embodiments of the aforesaid cigar producing machinesbands of reconstituted tobacco which define the cigar binder and wrapperare helically wound about an advancing rod of tobacco. The reconstitutedtobacco bands are of low tensile strength and are easily torn anddamaged under improper handling and excessive tension. Moreover, theoptimum operation of the cigar producing machines and the quality of theend product depend on the feeding of the wrapper and binder bandsthereto under uniformly low tension conditions.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to providean improved web or band feeding device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedapparatus for feeding a band or web under a uniform tension to aconstant speed take up drive.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedapparatus for feeding bands to a constant speed take up device at anadjustable low uniform tension.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus ofthe above nature characterized by its reliability, ruggedness,simplicity, flexibility and adaptability.

The above and other objects of the present invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a band feeding apparatusembodying the present invention;

. FIGURE 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 in FIGURE 4;

Cir

3,404,820 Patented Oct. 8, 1968 FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken alongline 6--6 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a front fragmentary view of the band sensing system with thesensing arm in raised position;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 with the sensing arm in depressedposition;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 1010 in FIGURE2; and

FIGURE 11 is a schematic view of the electrical control network of thepresent apparatus.

. In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of a bandfeeding apparatus comprising means for taking up said band at apredetermined linear speed, means for feeding said band along its lengthtoward said take-up means, means for driving said feed means at firstand second speeds above and below said predetermined take-up speedrespectively by substantially fixed increments, and control meansresponsive to a condition of said band between said feed and said takeup means for switching said feed drive means alternatively to said firstand second speeds. According to a preferred form of the presentapparatus two sets of transversely offset feed and control means areprovided, each of the feed means comprising a feed roller and acooperating pressure roller, the feed roller being mounted on a driveshaft which is coupled through an overrunning clutch and an electricallyactuated clutch to low speed and high speed drive means respectively.Guide rods lead the fed bands to the take-up means along respectivecatenaries or loops. A swingable sensing arm engages each of the loopsand controls switching means in accordance with the depth of the loopsto control the energization of the electric clutch and hence the speedof the feed roller.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, reference numeral 10 generally designates theimproved apparatus which includes a common band take-up means 11, a pairof upper and lower similarly constructed sensing devices 12 and 13,upper and lower similarly constructed band feed devices 14 and 16 andupper and lower band roll supports 17 and 18 likewise of similarconstruction. Takeup means 11 may be of the type described in the aboveidentified Silberman patents and positively takes up a pair ofoverlapping laterally offset wrapper and binder reconstituted tobaccobands at an adjustable constant speed.

A pair of longitudinally spaced front and rear vertical posts 19 projectupwardly from a suitably supported base plate 20 rearwardly of take-upmeans 11 and have secured thereto and spaced transversely forwardlythereof a longitudinally extending vertical mounting plate 21 which isspaced above the base plate 20 and extends from front post 19 rearwardlyof trailing post 19, the upper edge of mounting plate 21 beinghorizontal and the section thereof between the posts 19 being less thanthat trailing rear post 19. A vertical mounting rod 22 is spacedrearwardly of and is secured to the trailing edge of mounting plate 21and projects above and below the top and bottom thereof.

Each of the band roll supports 17 and 18 includes a clamp assemblysecured to the top and bottom of the support rod 22 respectively andcomprises a rear bar 23 having an arcuate vertical groove engaging therear face of rod 22 and a front bar 24 having a vertical arcuate grooveengaging the front face of rod 22 and secured to the bar 23 by aplurality of bolts to permit the releasable tightening of the clampassemblies to rod 22 and their vertical adjustment. A horizontal axle 26is supported by and projects transversely forwardly from the trailingsection of clamp bar 23 and rotatably supports a roll R of areconstituted tobacco wrapper or binder band B, as the case may be, theinner part of which is sandwiched between a pair of axially spaced discs27.

A link 28 is swingably supported adjacent an end thereof by axle 26 at apoint just transversely forwardly of clamp bar 23 and projectslongitudinally rearwardly upwardly from the axle. An arm 29 is pivotallyconnected at an end thereof to the free end of link 28 and extendslongitudinally forwardly upwardly from link 28 and supports at its upperend a transversely forwardly directed non-rotatable axle 30 which ispositioned above a corresponding band roll R. A friction roller 32 isrotatably engage and supported by axle 30 and is gravity urged intoresting engagement with the top face of the band roll R, the rollerpreferably being formed of or provided with an outer face formed of anatural or synthetic rubber. In order lightly to restrain and preventoverrunning of roll R an adjustable braking assembly is associated withthe roller 32 and and includes a pair of annuli or washers 33 freelyrotatably mounted on axle 30 and engaging opposite end faces of theroller 32. A first friction disc 34 is non-movably mounted on axle 30engaging the the rear face of rear washer 33 and a second friction disc36 is slidably mounted on axle 30 and engages the front face of frontwasher 33. A pair of diametrically spaced pins 37 project transverselyfrom disc 36 and slidably engage corresponding bores formed in a collar38 which is axially adjustably secured to the free end of axle 30 tolimit disc 36 to axial movement. A helical compression spring 38a istrapped between collar 38 and disc 36 to axially compress the discs,washers and roller 32 and to impart drag to roller 32, drag which isadjustable by means of the axial adjustment of collar 38.

A vertically extending mounting plate 39 is positioned rearwardly of themedial section of and is parallel to mounting plate 21. Plate 39 issecured to plate 21 by transverse tie rods 40 and is supported on baseplate 20 by a vertical post 41 to which it is secured through a suitablespacer member. Feed assemblies 14 and 16 are vertically andlongitudinally offset and are supported by mounting plates 21 and 39,the lower feed device 16 being rearwardly offset relative to the upperfeed device 14.

Each of feed devices 14 and 16 includes a horizontal transverse shaft 42engaged by axially aligned front and rear bearing bushings 43 and 44registering with openings in front and rear mounting plates 21 and 39respectively, shaft 42 projecting forwardly and rearwardly of bushings43 and 44. A collar 46 is affixed to the rear end of shaft 42 to limitthe forward movement thereof. A first gear 47 is provided with a rearhub member 48 which is affixed to shaft 42 forward of the front face ofmounting plate 21 to prevent the rearward axial movement of the shaft.Also axially mounted on the front section of shaft 42 and extendingsubstantially from the front face of the gear 47 to the end of the shaft42 is a cylindrical feed roller 49 formed of any suitable material andsecured to gear 47 and hub 48 by means of transverse bolts 50registering with aligned openings in hub member 48 and gear 47, andengaging tapped bores in roller 49 whereby the said roller is positivelyrotated by shaft 42.

A vertical bracket plate 51 parallel to mounting plate 21 is positionedabove and forward of the front end of each roller 49 and secured toplate 21 by transverse support rods 52 extending between and screwed toplates 21 and 51. A bearing bushing 53 registers with an opening inbracket plate 51 and engages a pin 54 which projects forwardly form anaxle 56 through bushing 54 and is eccentric to axle 56. Axle 56 ispositioned above and is parallel to shaft 42 and is urged toward andaway from the shaft 52 by the turning of eccentric pin 54 about itsaxis. A pressure roller 57 is rotatably supported by axle 56 and has agear 58 bolted to its rear end face which gear engages gear 57 wherebyto positively rotate rollers 49 and 57 at the same peripheral speed.

A radially projecting arm 59 is mounted on the free end of eccentric pin54, forward of bracket plate 51, and is affixed thereto in anypreadjusted angular position by means of a set screw 59a. A helicaltension spring 60 is connected between a pin 61 mounted on arm 59 on oneside of the eccentric pin 54 and a pin 63 mounted on bracket plate 51 onthe other side of eccentric pin 54 and extends over the eccentric pin 54thereby normally to urge eccentric pin 54 clockwise as viewed in FIGURE10 and roller 57 toward resilient engagement with roller 49.

Mounted on shaft 42 shortly forward of rear mounting plate 39 is anoverrunning clutch 64 including a driven I member 65 and a drive member66, driven member 65 being adjustably fixed to shaft 42 by a set screwcarried thereby. A first relatively large sprocket wheel 67 is mountedon clutch drive member 66 and is rotatable therewith. Overrunning clutch64 may be of any conventional type, for example of the sprag or pawl andratchet type, which permits the driven section to overrun the drivesection and effects a coupling between the two sections only when thedrive section tends to run faster than the driven section.

A tubular shaft 68 is coaxially rotatably mounted on shaft 42 forward ofclutch 64 by means of a pair of bushings 55 registering with the ends ofthe tubular shaft 68 and engaging the shaft 42 and provided with endflanges abutting the ends of the tubular shaft 68. A second relativelysmall sprocket wheel 69 is adjustably affixed to the rear part oftubular shaft 68 by means of a set screw 70 carried by the hub of thesprocket wheel 69. While sprocket wheels 67 and 69 are designated aslarge and small this is merely relative, for example, sprocket wheel 67may have 25 teeth and sprocket wheel 69 may have 24 teeth so at the samelinear speeds their rotation speed ratio is about 24:25, the largersprocket wheel being slower.

An electrically actuated, normally disengaged clutch 71 couples shafts42 and 68 and is of known construction, including a drive member 72 anda driven member 73. Drive member 72 is mounted on tubular shaft 68 bymeans of a suitable hub and is rotatable therewith and includes a clutchplate 74 of a magnetic material so supported as to be axially movableunder the influence of a magnetic field. Driven member 73 is likewiseformed of a magnetic material and is aflixed to shaft 42 and includes aclutch face confronting clutch plate 74. An actuating solenoid 76 isdisposed adjacent driven member 73 and is so associated therewith thatupon electrical energization of solenoid 76 drive and driven members 72and 73 are brought into driving engagement by reason of the magneticadvance of clutch plate 74 into engagement with driven member 72, upondeenergization of solenoid 76 disengagement of clutch 71 is effected.Positioned forwardly of the lower part of rear mountmg plate 39 is atransversely extending suitably supported horizontal shaft 77 to whichare affixed a pair of axially spaced third and fourth relatively smalland large sprocket wheels 78 and 79 respectively, wheel 78 beinglongitudinally aligned with sprocket wheels 67 and wheel 79 beinglongitudinally aligned with sprocket wheels 69 of feed assemblies 14 and.16. Sprocket wheels 67 and 78 are coupled by a first sprocket chain 78aand sprocket wheels 69 and 79 are coupled by a second sprocket chain 79aso that upon rotation of shaft 77 shafts 68 are rotated at a greaterspeed than the overrunning clutch drive members 66.

A vertical bevel gear 80 is afiixed to shaft 77 forward of sprocketwheel 79 and is engaged by a horizontal sprocket wheel 81 affixed to theupper end of a vertical shaft 82. Shaft 82 projects through base plate20 and is suitably supported by and journalled in upper and lowerbearings mounted on the base plate 20 and mounting plate 21, beingdisposed rearwardly of plate 21, and has atfixed to its lower end, belowbase plate 20, a horizontal bevel gear 82, which is engaged by avertical bevel gear 84 afiixed to a drive shaft 86 driven in synchronismwith or by a common drive means which motivates take-up means 11 so thatthere is a constant relationship among the various speeds whereby thenormal take-up speed of the means 11 is between the upper and lowerperipheral speeds of feed rollers 49 as effected through clutches 71 and64 respectively.

Sensing assemblies 12 and 13 are associated with and disposed below andforward of the corresponding feed assemblies 14 and- .16 and are mountedon forward post 19. Each sensing assembly comprises a clamp memberengaging the forward post 19 and including a front clamp bar 87 disposedin front of and projecting longitudinally forwardly of post 19 and arear clamp bar 88 disposed at the rear of post 19 and secured to thefront clamp bar by a plurality of bolts. Front clamp bar 87 terminatesat its forward end in an upwardly directed leg 89 having a transversebore formed therein which engages a forwardly projecting transverse rod90 which is adjustably locked in the bore by a set screw 91 engaging atapped radial bore in leg 88. A longitudinally extending horizontalbracket bar 92 is supported by rod 90 and has a transverse bore formedtherein engaging rod 90, bracket 92 being adjustably fixed to rod 90 bya set screw 95.

The trailing end of bracket bar 92 is longitudinally slotted to form apair of transversely spaced horizontal parallel arms 94 having alignedtransverse bores formed therein which rotatably engage a transverseshaft 96 projecting forwardly of arms 94 andextending shortly rearwardlythereof. An elongated real-wardly projecting sensing arm 97 has itsleading end sandwiched between bracket arms 94 and has a transverse boreformed therein engaging shaft 96. Sensing arm 97 is adjustably fixed toshaft 96 by a set screw and is freely swingable therewith. The free endof sensing arm 97 supports a forwardly projecting horizontal transverseguide and sensing rod 98 which is adapted to engage the upper face of acorresponding band B as it traverses a path from feed roller 49.to applya weighted tension to band B and to be moved upwardly and downwardly byand with the band B as the path thereof changes to correspondingly swingsensing arm 97. A pair of transversely spaced collars 99 are adjustablypositioned on guide rod 98 to restrict the passage of band Btherebetween. In order to adjust the tension imparted to band B bysensing arm 97 a weight member 100 having a longitudinal slot in thebottom thereof slidably engages the upper part of sensing arm 97 and isreleasably fixed in a preset position by means of thumb screw 101engaging a tapped transverse bore in member 100 and communicating withthe slot therein whereby to releasably engage the side face of arm 97.

Mounted atop bracket 92, adjacent its trailing end, is a switch supportbracket 103 including a base plate 104 secured to the bracket 92 byscrews and a pair of transversely spaced vertical plates 106 projectingupwardly from side edges of plate 104. Suitably mounted on the outerfaces of bracket plates 106 are a pair of rear and front microswitchesS1 and S2 respectively, each such switch overhanging an outer face ofbracket arms 94. Switch S1 is a normally closed switch and includes alongitudinally extending horizontal actuating arm 107 hinged at itsleading end to the housing of switch S1 and supporting at its trailingend, by means of an integrally formed dependent bracket, a cam followerwheel 108. Switch S2 is a normally closed switch and includes alongitudinally extending horizontal actuating arm 109 hinged at itsleading end to the housing of switch S2 and supporting at its trailingend by means of a depending bracket a cam follower wheel 110.

A pair of switch actuating cams 11.1 and 112 are mounted on shaft 96along opposite faces of bracket 92 and are individually suitablyangularly adjustable on the shaft 96 and releasably affixed thereto forrotation with the shaft 96. Cam 111 is engaged by the switch actuatingfollower 108 and includes a short raised section 113 which, when inregistry with follower 108, actuates switch S1 to an open position, andcam 112 is engaged by the switch actuating follower .110 and includes ashort raised section 114 which, when in registry with follower 110,actuates switch S2 to a closed position. Cams 111 and 112 are soadjusted on shaft 96 that when sensing arm 97 is in its upper position,as seen in FIGURE 8, cam raised section 114 engages follower 1.10 toclose switch S2 and cam raised section 113 is out of registry withfollower 108 to effect closing of switch S1, and when the sensing arm 97is in its lower position, as seen in FIGURE 9, cam raised section 113engages follower 108 to open switch S1 and cam raised section 1.14 isout of registry with the follower to effect opening of switch S2. Itshould be noted that the full stroke of sensing arm 97 and hence thevariation of the path of band B may be adjusted by adjusting thepositions of cams 111 and 112 on the shaft 96, as will be .hereinafterset forth.

The portion of shaft 96 which projects forwardly of cam 112 functions asa band guide and carries a pair of transversely spaced axiallyadjustable guide collars .116. A third guide rod 117 is mounted on andprojects transversely forwardly from bracket 92 a short distancelongitudinally forwardly of and at the level of shaft 96 and is providedwith axially adjustable transversely spaced guide collars 115. A fourthguide rod 118 is mounted at and projects transversely forwardly from theleading end of bracket 92 at the level of guide rod 117 and is providedwith transversely spaced axially adjustable guide collars 119. Aplurality of suitably supported vertically staggered longitudinallyspaced parallel transverse guide rods 120 are positioned below sensingassemblies 12 and .13 and between take-up device 11 and sensingassemblies 12 and 13. 1

The network for controlling the actuation of clutches 71 by theenergization of clutch solenoids 76 in response to sensing arms 97 isshown in FIGURE 11 and includes a step down power transformer T having aprimary connected by way of fuses to a source of alternating current anda low voltage secondary connected through a resistor R1 across the inputof a solid state bridge rectifier D1, the output terminals of which areconnected to lines a and b respectively and across a filter capacitorC1. The input of a second solid state bridge rectifier D2 is connectedacross the primary of transformer T through a variable resistor R2, theoutput of rectifier D2 being shunted by a filter capacitor C2 andconnected to lines 0 and d respectively. Associated with each pair ofswitches S1 and S2 and clutch solenoid 76 is a relay which includes arelay solenoid RS which, upon energization, actuates normally openswitches S3 and S4 to their closed positions.

Relay solenoid RS is shunted by a reversely oriented diode D3 and hasone terminal connected to line a and the other terminal thereofconnected through normally open switch S2 to line b and through normallyopen relay hold switch S4 and normally closed switch S1 connected inseries to line b, Clutch solenoid 76 is connected through the normallyopen relay switch S3 between lines c nd d and is shunted by a capacitorC3 and an indicator lamp N, and switch S3 is shunted by the seriesconnected resistor R3 and capacitor C4. It should be noted that therelay switch arrangement described above is associated with each ofclutch solenoid and sensing and control combinations for the wrapper andbinder bands and operate independently of each other but are providedwith com- 7 99, below shaft rod 96 and between collars 116 and thenceover guide rods 117 and 118 between collars 115 and 119. From the guiderods 118, bands B are led to take-up device 11 through guide rods 120.

When a clutch solenoid 76 is deenergized by reason of switches S2 and S4being open, shaft 42 is driven at a low speed through overrunning clutch64, large sprocket wheel 67 and small sprocket wheel 78, to rotate feedrolls 49 and 57 at alower peripheral speed than the take-up speed ofdevice 11 and thereby feed band B at less than take-up speed. As aconsequence, the length of band B between feed rolls 49 and 57 and thetake-up device 11 decreases to reduce the depth of the loop of band B asit travels below sensing rod 98 thereby to raise sensing rod 98 andswing sensing arm 97 upwardly. As sensing arm 97 approaches its upperposition as seen in FIGURE 8 cam 111 releases switch S1 to its closedposition and cam 112 closes switch S2. The closing of switch S2completes the circuit toand effects the energization of relay solenoidsRS which thereupon closes switches S3 and S4. The closing of switchclutch solenoid 76 and effect the engagement of clutch 71. Shaft 42 isthus driven through clutch 71, small sprocket wheel 69 and largesprocket wheel 79 at a high speed overrunning clutch 64 and driving feedrollers 49 and 57 at a greater peripheral speed than that of take-updevice 11 so that the rollers feed the band B faster than it is taken upby device 11. Accordingly, the length of band B between feed rollers 49and 57 and take-up device 11 increases effecting the lowering of sensingrod 98 and sensing arm 97. As sensing arm 97 approaches its bottomposition cams 111 and 112 effect the opening of switches S1 and S2, theopening of switch S1 breaking the hold circuit of relay solenoid RSwhich is deenergized and releases switches S3 and S4 to their openposition. Open switch S3 breaks the energization circuit of the clutchsolenoid 76 thereby to disengage clutch 71. Shaft 42 is then driventhrough overrunning clutch 64 at its lower speed as aforesaid to advanceband B at a lesser speed than that of take-up device 11. The above cycleis periodically repeated to assure band feed to take-up device 11 underuniform conditions. It should be noted that the upper and lower limit ofthe stroke of sensing arm 97 and hence of the loop of band B may bevaried by adjusting the angular positions of cams 112 and 111respectively on the shaft 96 and relative to the sensing arm 97 Whilethere has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissionsand additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof,

What is claimed is:

1. A band feeding apparatus comprising means for taking up said band ata predetermined linear speed, a rotatable feed wheel engaging said bandwhereby said band traverses a path between said feed wheel and saidtake-up means including a loop, control means including a sensingelement engaging said band along said loop and movable in response tothe amplitude of said loop, means for driving said feed wheel includingan overrunning first clutch and a low speed drive coupled to said feedwh el through said overrunning clutch, a selectively engageable anddisengageable second electrically actuated clutch and a high speed driveconnected to said feed wheel through said second clutch, said high speeddrive rotating said feed wheel at a feed speed exceeding said take-upspeed by a predetermined increment upon engagement of said electricclutch, and said low speed drive rotating said feed wheel at a feedspeed less than said take-up speed by a predetermined increment upondisengagement of said electric clutch, and control means responsive tosaid sensing element for engaging said electric clutch upon said loopamplitude falling below a predetermined value and for disengaging saidelectric clutch upon said amplitude exceeding a predetermined value andbeing unresponsive to said sensing element when said loop amplitude isbetween said predetermined values.

' 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control means includesswitch means actuated by said sensing element, the engagement anddisengagement of said second clutch being responsive to said switchmeans. i

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electric clutch includes anactuating solenoid, and said control means comprises a normally openfirst switch and a normally closed second switch alternatively actuatedby said sensing element, a relay including an actuating solenoid andfirst and second pairs of normally open contacts, said relay solenoidbeing connected across a source of current through said first switch andthrough the series connected second switch and relay second contactpair, said clutch solenoid being connected to a source of currentthrough said relay first contact pair.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for varying the pressure ofsaid sensing element on said band.

5. A band feed apparatus comprising means for taking up said band at apredetermined linear speed, means including a feed wheel for feedingsaid band along it length toward said take-up means, means for drivingsaid feed means at first and second speeds above and below saidpredetermined take-up speed by substantially fixed increments andincluding a drive shaft coupled to said feed wheel, an overrunning firstclutch including a driven section connected to said drive shaft and anassociated drive section, an electrically actuated second clutchincluding a driven section connected to said drive shaft and anassociated drive section, and pulleys connected to said first and secondclutch drive sections and coupled to a common drive rotating saidpulleys at slower and faster angular speeds respectively, and controlmeans responsive to a condition of said band between said feed and saidtakeup means for alternatively energizing and deenergizing said secondclutch.

6. A band feed apparatus comprising means for taking up said band at apredetermined linear speed, means including a feed wheel for feedingsaid band along its length toward said take-up means, means for drivingsaid feed means at first and second speeds above and below saidpredetermined take-up speed by substantially fixed increments, andincluding a drive shaft coupled to said feed wheel, a sleeve coaxiallymounted on said drive shaft, an overrunning first clutch including adriven section connected to said drive shaft and an associated drivesection, an electrically actuated second clutch including a drivensection connected to said drive shaft and an associated drive sectionmounted on said sleeve, said first and second clutch drive sectionsbeing rotated at relatively lower and higher speeds respectively, andcontrol means responsive to a condition of said hand between said feedand said take-up means for alternatively energizing and deenergizingsaid second clutch.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, including a second wheel supported parallelto and spring urged toward said feed wheel and means driving said secondwheel at the same peripheral speed as said feed wheel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,791,450 2/1931 Kellogg 226-4 4X 2,060,822 ll/l936 Novick 22630 2,544,467 3/1951 Michel 22644 X2,707,254 4/1955 Newman 22630 X 2,747,866 5/1956 Schmidt 22644 2,977,0353/1961 Tilton 22640 X M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

R. A. SCHACHER, Assistant Examiner.

